February 1, 2012

Veggie Quesadillas

I often toss around the idea of becoming a vegetarian. I don't eat a whole lot of meat anyway, so it wouldn't be all that difficult.

Then I thought about my love for fried chicken tenders. And shrimp. And steak.

I couldn't give up those three things. Oh, I like crab cakes too.

So those 4 meat items would have to remain in my diet. But other than that...

This is what leads me to believe I'd make a good vegetarian: I like to make quesadillas with caramelized onions, black beans, corn, and peppers. I usually throw in some chicken for Scott's benefit, and then I end up picking the chicken out and pushing it to the side of my plate. (Note: I do not do this with steak, which is why steak would remain in my diet should I decide to become this falsified version of a vegetarian.)

So I finally stopped fooling myself and now I just make the quesadillas with veggies. Oh, and cheese. I could never be vegan.

Veggie Quesadilla

Makes 3-4 quesadillas (depending on how much filling you like)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 chopped tomato

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Whole-wheat tortillas

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Soften the onion first. Throw in the bell pepper. Saute for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Add in the corn, tomato, and black beans. MAKE SURE YOU'VE RINSED THE BEANS FIRST (I ended up with a mushy mess once because I didn't :(.

Let it all heat together. You can sprinkle with some salt or garlic powder for extra flavor, if desired.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Either wipe out that frying pan or heat another one over medium heat. Place a tortilla in it and then top with 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the veggie mixture. Add a handful of shredded cheese. Top with another tortilla. Check every 30 seconds or so, and as soon as the cheese is melted, carefully flip the quesadilla. Cook for another 2 minutes or so until brown on the other side.

Remove from the pan and slice with a pizza cutter (the easiest method).

This veggie mixture is also very tasty when just eaten with tortilla chips!